Bio Sponges In Goldfish Tank

[worstist]

Hey

I have a bunch of bio sponges in a tank with gold fish in it to keep the bacteria cycle going.

I would like to use those sponges on a later date for cichlids, saltwater fish as quarantine tank.

Would it be safe to use it? or do Goldfishes have many diseases that I risk transferring by using those bio sponges.

Thanks

[jvision]

Some people say that cold water fish have diseases/parasites that warm water fish cannot tollerate. Are you thinking of moving the sponges right from the goldfish to the cichlids? If so, then there could be a risk of transfering disease (but, I wouldn't be terribly concerned - especially if your cichlids are healthy). If the sponges are dry, I'd say the risk is pretty much nil (tho, parasite eggs may handle a drying period).

There is virtually no chance of transfering disease to a SW tank.

[worstist]

Thanks jvision

So if I want to guarantee no disease transfer to my cichlids, I would have to remove the sponges and let it dry for a while? Wouldn't this starve the bacteria colony in the sponge so I would have to cycle the sponge again when I put it in the cichlid tank.

I have a few large bio sponges that I'd feel it'd be a waste because there is a mature bacteria colony over a year, so I'd like to use it in my quarantines.

[jvision]

To be honest, I'd go with the transfer. I can't count how many times I've take a filter from one tank and thrown it right into another, regardless of what kind of fish were in each. If your goldfish are healthy, and your cichlids are healthy, then the chances of killing them are pretty low, IMO.